Lagos
State Government has expressed readiness to sign a new Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) that will strengthen its partnership with France in its
renewed efforts at upgrading slums and widening its infrastructure
development projects.
Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode, disclosed this today during a courtesy visit to his Office in
Alausa by Mr. Jean – Pierre Marcella, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa
Department, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), as part of his two
day official visit to Nigeria.
Mr.
Ambode noted that with a growing population of over 20 million people, the
state government alone can not provide all the infrastructure needs of its
people, explaining that the desire of government to make life more comfortable
for Lagosians and improve their standard of living necessitated its
partnership with various organisations that have the capacity and
technical requirements to add value to its urban renewal projects.
The
Deputy Governor, who representated the Governor and led other members of
the State Executive Council to receive the AFD officials, stated that
previous partnership with the French Agency in the past had yielded positive
result as it has helped government to record success in transportation, water
provision and energy.
He
specifically thanked the agency for partnering with the state government in the
extension and execution of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Ikorodu / Mile
12 link road, which has helped to ease the transportation
problem as well as resulted in the increase in numbers of commuters
conveyed by BRT buses on daily basis in the corridor.
The
Governor hinted that one of the top priority projects of the state government
is the upgrading of its slum areas by executing developmental projects in the
region in order to make life more comfortable for the people of the area and
bring dividends of democracy to their door steps.
While
assuring the visiting French agency of government’s total commitment to the
implementation of all its urban renewal programmes, Ambode affirmed that the
state government would continue to create enabling environment that would
give investors quick return on their investment in a safe and secured
atmosphere.
He
averred that government would welcome any partnership that can help to fast
track the implementation of developmental projects, especially in
the provision of portable water, road and rail transportation,
housing, upgrading of slums as well as building a clean,
safe and sustainable environment.
Governor
Ambode explained that the creation of the Office of Overseas Affairs and
Investments (Lagos Global) by the present administration was intended to
underscore government’s commitment to genuine foreign relations
and partnership for mutual benefit, adding that
the Office has the mandate of facilitating a link between
the state government and any intending foreign investor and ensure
transparency in all the transactions between the two parties.
Earlier,
the leader of the delegation, who is also the Head of Sub- Sahara Africa
Department at Agence Francaise de Development, (AFD), Paris, Mr. Jean Pierre
Marcelli explained that the team was in Lagos as part of a two
day official visit to Nigeria to hold consultation with the state
government towards strengthening the partnership between AFD and the Lagos
State government.
He
said the visit became necessary because it would help to take stock of
various on-going projects embarked upon by the agency since 2008 in the
state and to brief the Governor on their status in order to assist his
team when holding consultation with the state government on how to strengthen
the relationship for more beneficial result.
He
said the Agency is interested in scaling up its operations and services in the
country having recorded success in transportation and other areas of
partnership with the federal and state governments in Nigeria.
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